N-central monitoring tools device details

Monitor and track workstations and servers on a wide variety of platforms and operating systems

To serve modern customers and operate within complex IT environments, IT companies need to keep track of workstations and servers across all types of platforms and operating systems. Monitoring different types of workstations and servers shouldn’t require a variety of disparate tools, which can reduce efficiency and create headaches for your technicians.

N‑able™ N‑central® helps you to monitor across Microsoft Windows, macOS, and multiple versions of Linux so you’re always covered. From one intuitive dashboard, N‑central gives you valuable insights into the health and security of your customers’ workstations and servers at a glance. Proactive alerts keep you notified when workstations and devices need your attention, helping you to start troubleshooting immediately and stop issues before your customers even notice.

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Easily conduct performance checks for hardware and software on workstations and servers

Your customers can’t afford to be slowed down by poor hardware or software performance. When they notice an issue, however, they must submit a ticket, describe the problem, and often pause their work until a technician can troubleshoot and resolve their issue. This often leaves them frustrated, less productive, and less than satisfied with your service.

With the server and remote desktop monitoring software provided by N‑able N‑central, you can avoid such a decline in productivity by conducting regular performance checks to stop issues before they arise. Proactively check hardware and software health on workstations and servers across multiple site locations. This makes it possible for your technicians to identify and resolve potential performance issues, often before customer productivity is affected and tickets are created.

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Automate repetitive tasks and perform bulk actions to increase efficiency

As a business serving multiple customers with large, complex networks, many of your technicians will constantly be tasked with important but repetitive and time-consuming functions.

With N‑able N‑central, you can automate any number of tasks with powerful scripting tools and bulk action capabilities, helping reduce the chances of human error and making your technicians’ lives easier. The automation manager included in N‑central can instantly free up your technicians for more complex, value-added operations that will strengthen your customer relationships. N‑central helps to standardize your rules and tasks across servers and workstations without requiring your technicians to learn a complicated new scripting language.

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Frequently asked questions

What is server and workstation monitoring software?

What is server and workstation monitoring software?

Servers and workstations are central to the everyday, mission-critical operations of most companies, especially large and enterprise-level organizations. They provide access to databases, essential applications, important documents, web sites, and more. If server performance begins to falter or a server fails, then access to those business-critical services will be cut off for customers, employees, and other end users—meaning effective server and workstation monitoring is crucial to the success of business operations.

Server and workstation monitoring software allows you to identify and troubleshoot performance issues before they impact end users and the overall business at large. Remote server monitoring software automates the processes involved in tracking performance and resource metrics, such as CPU and memory usage, input/output, response time, and other factors that can be indicative of performance issues.

Integral to nearly every aspect of a business’s operations, monitoring server performance can also provide valuable insights into the network infrastructure. Using network workstation monitoring software to understand server performance can be helpful for long-term strategic scaling and capacity planning.

What is the difference between a server and a workstation?

What is the difference between a server and a workstation?

Generally, workstations are individual end-user devices such as desktop PCs, laptops, and tablets. Servers are multi-user devices or software applications that provide access to shared services and resources, network drives, web applications, and more.

In terms of function, workstations can be more specialized, capable of running resource-intensive design or analysis software that enables end users to perform individual tasks and responsibilities. Servers, on the other hand, often operate more as facilitators and intermediaries, storing data, directing service requests to the proper channels, and streamlining the process of managing network resources.

Servers are often housed in dedicated rooms that aren’t easily accessible to the average end user, whereas workstations can be moved between desk and offices as needed. Workstations typically have a standard keyboard-and-mouse setup and graphics user interface (GUI) that makes it easier for end users to input commands and execute operations, while servers allow keyboard inputs but do not require GUI or monitors to operate as intended.

Why do we need both servers and workstations?

Why do we need both servers and workstations?

Servers and workstations provide different services and functions, and the key to streamlined and efficient operations is using both in tandem to support business goals and success.

For example, a company with 50 employees using high-end, cutting-edge workstations without any servers is going to be extremely limited in terms of their operational capacity and ability to share files while maintaining data security.

Servers can help boost data security and service reliability for customers of all sizes. File sharing, security measures, backups, and data privacy standards are necessary functions and aspects for supporting the longevity and success of any business—and they’re all made possible by servers.

Workstations and servers are built to accentuate different services and capabilities. Servers, for example, are designed to be able to manage and process data around the clock, have access to multiple power sources, and leverage redundant storage technology to prevent data loss and service interruptions should a hardware failure occur. One significant disadvantage of relying solely on workstations is that many only have a single hard drive. If it fails, all locally saved data will be lost, which can result in costly setbacks that could drastically impact business success.

Can a workstation be used as a server?

Can a workstation be used as a server?

The simple answer is yes, though it is not often advisable to do so. Any workstation with sufficient hardware specs can technically operate as a server but will inherently be limited by the design of that same hardware. Most workstations are not built for high-load, 24/7 operations, which can make them less reliable when adapted to fulfill a server role.

In contrast, true servers are specifically engineered to be 24/7 workhorses—they provide storage capacity, processing power, and management capabilities that are often beyond the scope of most workstations. This makes them a more reliable and secure choice.

What is remote monitoring?

What is remote monitoring?

Remote monitoring is a function provided by software applications that allows technicians to collect and analyze data about the behavior and performance of devices like servers and workstations while physically distant. Remote workstation monitoring is especially critical for MSPs, as it enables quick identification and troubleshooting of potential server or network performance issues—all from off-site locations.

A reliable remote management and monitoring (RMM) tool is vital to ensure that you’re able to respond to customer issues in a timely and effective manner. This not only helps keep systems secure and up to date, but can also help to increase customer satisfaction and trust.

Why you should proactively monitor your IT networks?

Why you should proactively monitor your IT networks?

It can be tough to convince customers that they will benefit from proactive IT network monitoring. Even if businesses rationally know that proactive maintenance is a good idea in the long term, the idea of added costs can keep them from embracing 24/7 monitoring until it’s too late.

That’s why you need a thorough argument you can bring to your customers to convince them to make the switch. For instance, a business will experience fewer interruptions to productivity if you can proactively handle warnings, rather than waiting until a crisis occurs. What’s more, you could potentially help clients save money in IT support costs—major downtime is expensive compared with ongoing monitoring, and it’s also much more of a hassle. With the right understanding, most clients will get on board with the advantages of proactive monitoring.

Learn more: 3 Key Benefits to Proactively Monitoring Your IT Networks

Utilize server and workstation monitoring software for more precise management

  • Leverage endpoint protection to help keep servers and workstations secure
  • Automate tasks and perform bulk actions for increased efficiency
  • Keep servers and workstations protected with rapid backups and recovery